(10/8/2007)
The Department of Transportation's most recent safety audit of Indonesian air carriers demonstrates tangible progress has been made in efforts to upgrade the safety of flying domestically.
Following an initial audit in March 2007 which failed to see even a single domestic air carrier receive a "clean pass" Category I rating, the latest review saw 6 airlines receive recognition for successfully meeting all civil aviation safety standards.
The Three Categories
Under the rigorous review of safety standards and safety management imposed by the Government, all airlines in Indonesia fall into one of the following safety rating categories:
• Category I - an airline meets all safety requirements of Indonesia's civil aviation authority.
• Category II - an airline has been determined to meet minimal requirements of civil aviation safety rules, but with outstanding safety issues still to be addressed.
Category III - Airlines found to meet minimal civil aviation safety regulations but with some safety issues which may affect passenger safety still unaddressed. Airlines found in this category are generally given three months to achieve at least Category II status or face suspension of operations.
Six Airlines Receive Category I Status
In an October 5, 2007 announcement from the Director General of Civil Aviation the six airlines earning the “safest” category rating were:
• PT Garuda Indonesia
• PT Merpati Nusantara
• PT Indonesia Air Asia
• PT Mandala Airlines
• PT Lion Air
• PT Wings Abadi Air
14 other Indonesian airlines still reside in the Category II listing.
The second audit, conducted in June 2007, saw only Garuda Indonesia qualify in category II.
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